Molten metal swinging device



Dec. 26, 1967 GENzo MORI ETAL MOLTEN METAL swINGING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 4, 1964 Dec. 26, 1967 GENzo Mom ETAL 3,360,253

MOLTEN METAL SWINGING DEVICE Filed D60. 4, 1964 2 sheets-sheet 2 United States Patent C 3,360,253 MOLTEN METAL SWINGING DEVICE Genzo Mori and Hiroshi Takagi, Amagasaki-shi, Japan,

assignors to Amagasalki Iron & Steel Mfg. Co., Ltd., saka, Japan, a corporation of Japan Filed Dec. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 416,070 Claims priority, application Japan, Dec. 6, 1963,

13S/65,796; Dec. 30, 1963, :e8/3,999

3 Claims. (Cl. 266--34) This invention relates to improvements in a device for imparting horizontal swinging motion to a molten metal ladle in order that alloy element(s) and/or deoxidyzng agents are more uniformly and sufliciently distributed in a molten metal when such an additive or additives are added thereto, and more partic'ularly relates to a specific mechanism for enabling the swinging motion and guidance and support of the ladle.

A plurality of ball bearings are placed on a horizontal base and a swinging plate rests on the ball bearings and carries the ladle.

The swinging plate is driven eccentrically to impart circular motion to the liquid in the ladle and the ball bearings permit the horizontal eccentric movement to enhance the eiciency of stirring. The swinging plate is held non-rotatable, but is movable along a circular path without changing its direction. This is effected by the provision of two or more eccentric shaft drive means rotatable in the same phase.

A mechanism wherein a ladle, is supported movably, is free to move under a desired amount of-eccentricity by the action of a crank mechanism as is generally known. If the ladle is of a small type or is very light in weight, the ladle can be operated smoothly by a common crank mechanism without any trouble and without specic support means, but when the ladle is of a larger type and is heavy in weight and swung under comparatively large amounts of eccentricity, it is necessary to provide specific supporting and driving mechanisms therefore in such circumstatnces it has been proposed to use a plurality of specific ball bearings placed on a base, which is the foundation for the apparatus, whereby a swinging plate, on which a ladle is mounted, is thereby supported to swing freely.

The present invention is a successful result of a very simple mechanism capable of imparting such swinging movement and is characterized by using a plurality of spherical bodies sparsely distributed to such extent that the spherical bodies can freely move with proper spacing. The bodies are disposed between a stationary base and a swinging plate with the object being to support and freely swing said swinging plate, on which is mounted the ladle to be rotated through swinging motions. The motions of said swinging plate are guided by the rolling of said spherical bodies and the swinging plate supported thereby. A pair or more of crank shafts are affixed to said swinging plate with each of the crank shafts being made to rotate in the same phase and at the same speed. In consequence said crank shafts and said swinging plate form a link mechanism as a unit, whereby said swinging plate and said ladle mounted thereon are made to perform swinging motions in a horizontal plane.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the molten metal swinging device according to the present invention, partly shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of said embodiment, partly broken away;

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the molten metal swinging device according to the present invention partly shown in section; and

3,360,253 Patented Dec. 26, 1967 ICC FIG. 4 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in PIG. 3, partly broken away.

Now describing the present invention with reference to the drawings, in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plain lower race 3 is horizontally secured to the upper surface of stationary base 1 and a plurality of spherical bodies 2 is installed within the race 3 in such a dispersed state as to maintain proper spacings inbetween, and the lower race 3 has its side walls upturned for preventing the spherical bodies from slipping out of the race. The upper race 5 is afiixed to the lower surface of a swinging plate 4 for supporting a ladle. The swinging plate 4 is supported by the group of the dispersed distributed spherical bodies 2. That is, the Weight of the swinging plate 4 and the ladle thereon is borne by each of the dispersed spherical bodies 2.

In FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrating, the other embodiment according to the present invention, the lower races 3 are secured in proper positions at three locations on the upper surface of the stationary base 1. In said lower races 3, the outer periphery thereof is formed with a round surrounding wall gradually rising from the central flat portion thereof and being made into a dish-shape with a plane surface larger than the surface of the upper race described before. The spherical bodies 2 are installed to such extent as to fill the central plane surface and a part of the surface of the outer periphery of the lower races. The upper races 5 affixed to the lower surface of the swinging plate 4 are mounted with the ladle thus supported. A mechanism is thus formed and is loaded on the stationary base 1 substantially uniformly as to the weight of the swinging members through the 'upper races 5, the spherical bodies 2 and the lower races 3.

As illustrated in FIGS. l, 2, 3 and 4, more than a pair of cranks are employed as a driving mechanism for imparting the swinging motions in the horizontal direction to the swinging plate 4. The drawings show an example wherein three sets of cranks are employed, and for that reason the swinging plate 4 is made into a right triangular shape, each of the crank pins 7 of crank shafts 6 is fitted at the portion equivalent to each of the apeXes of the triangle. Each of three sets of the crank shafts 6 is held freely rotatably by each of upright vertical shafts 10 affixed to the foundation through a bearing 9.

The total amount of eccentricity of each of the crank pins 7 is e, and each of the crank pins 7 is so adjusted as to move in the same phase against said swinging plate 4. In order that each of the crank shafts 6 is synchronously rotated, each of the crank shafts has a bevel gear 8 at the intermediate portion thereof and the level gears 12 of rotary shafts 1-1 engage said bevel gears 8, respectively. Power is transmitted to each of the rotary shafts 11 to simultaneously rotate them by means of a rotary shaft 14 driven by a motor 13.

As will be clear from the above description, three sets of cranks and the swinging plate form a unit link mechanism and the plate is swung in the horizontal direction being bound by each set of the cranks. That is, the swinging plate 4, being positioned on the group of the spherical bodies 2, is eccentrically rotated by the amount of eccentricity of e in contact with the spherical bodies 2. Each of the rcrank shafts 6 drives the swinging plate and at the same time controls the motions in the horizontal direction thereof, but does not share the weight of the swinging members. The weight of the swinging members is shared by the individual spherical bodies 2 installed between the upper and lower race or races, in addition the spherical bodies 2 act to guide the swinging motions of the swinging plate 4 smoothly.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. l and 2, the spherical bodies 2 are dispersed and rotated when the upper race is removed. On the other hand, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 the spherical bodies 2 rotatingly move accompanying the shift of the upper races similarly as in the former embodiment, but the shifting distance of each of the spherical bodies 2 is substantially one half of the shifting distance of the upper races 5.

The primary advantage of the present invention is that the structure of the means is simple. The swinging plate 4 is simply mounted on the stationary base 1 through the group of spherical bodies 2, and therefore both the assembling and disassembling thereof are very simple, as there is no mechanical connection, manufacturing, inspection, and repair costs are low with the safety factor being high.

The motion of the swinging plate and ladle are smooth because of the arrangement of the spherical bodies. The amount of friction is reduced to a minimum and the spherical bodies 2 share in supporting the swinging plate and ladle. Thus, also, the driving power requirements are minimal. The desired swinging radius may be set simply by changing the amount of eccentricity.

What is claimed is:

1. A molten metal swinging device comprising a swinging plate for securing and supporting a container containing a molten metal and having at least a at horizontal lower surface constituting a planar upper race, a stationary base supporting said swinging plate and having at least a flat horizontal upper surface constituting a planar lower race cooperating with the upper race, a plurality of spherical bodies disposed between the upper and lower races, at least one of the cooperating upper and lower races having a peripheral wall surrounding the fiat surface of its race, driving means comprising a source for imparting horizontal eccentrically swinging motion about a vertical axis to the swinging plate, said driving means comprising at least two eccentric shaft means rotatable in the same phase and eccentrically coupled to the swinging plate respectively to impart circular-type motion to at least two different portions of said swinging plate while precluding said swinging plate from rotating, and said driving means further comprising transmission means connecting the eccentric shaft means with the driving source to assure that said eccentric shaft means rotate in the same phase, said spherical bodies being distributed substantially uniformly and being freely rotatable accompanying the horizontal eccentrically swinging motion of the swinging plate.

2. The swinging device of claim '1 wherein said swinging plate comprises a single horizontal lower surface constituting the upper race and said base comprises a single horizontal lower surface constituting the lower race, said lower race being provided with a peripheral wall for retaining said spherical bodies.

3. The swinging device of claim 1 wherein said swinging plate comprises a plurality of flat horizontal lower surfaces constituting upper races and said base comprises a corresponding number of flat horizontal surfaces constituting corresponding lower races, each of the lower races comprising a peripheral wall gradually rising from the at surface having a larger area than the area of the flat surface of the cooperating upper race.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/ 1936 Warlimont 266-36 XR 3/1940 Mack 51-6 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Genzo Mori et al.

s in the above numbered patthat error appear Patent should read as It is hereby certified d that the Seid Letters ent requiring Correction an Corrected below In the heading to the printed specification, line 8 for Signed and sealed this 3rd day of December 1968 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD I BRENNER Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. A MOLTEN METAL SWINGING DEVICE COMPRISING A SWINGING PLATE FOR SECURING AND SUPPORTING A CONTAINER CONTAINING A MOLTEN METAL AND HAVING AT LEAST A FLAT HORIZONTAL LOWER SURFACE CONSTITUTING A PLANA RUPPER RACE, A STATIONARY BASE SUPPORTING SAID SWINGING PLATE AND HAVING AT LEAST A FLAT HORIZONTAL UPPER SURFACE CONSTITUTING A PLANAR LOWER RACE COOPERATING WITH THE UPPER RACE, A PLURALITY OF SPHERICAL BODIES DISPOSED BETWEEN THE UPPER AND LOWER RACES, AT LEAST ONE OF THE COOPERATING UPPER AND LOWER RACES HAVING A PERIPHERAL WALL SURROUNDING THE FLAT SURFACE OF ITS RACE, DRIVING MEANS COMPRISING A SOURCE FOR IMPARTING HORIZONTAL ECCENTRICALLY SWINGING MOTION ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS TO THE SWINGING PLATE, SAID DRIVING MEANS COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO ECCENTRIC SHAFT MEANS ROTATABLE IN THE SAME PHASE AND ECCENTRICALLY COUPLED TO THE SWINGING PLATE RESPECTIVELY TO IMPART CIRCULAR-TYPE MOTION TO AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF SAID SWINGING PLATE WHILE PRECLUDING SAID SWINGING PLATE FROM ROTATING, AND SAID DRIVING MEANS FURTHER COMPRISING TRANSMISSION MEANS CONNECTING THE ECCENTRIC SHAFT MEANS WITH THE DRIVING SOURCE TO ASSURE THAT SAID ECCENTRIC SHAFT MEANS ROTATE IN THE SAME PHASE, SAID SPHERICAL BODIES BEING DISTRIBUTED SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY AND BEING FREELY ROTATABLE ACCOMPANYING THE HORIZONTAL ECCENTRICALLY SWINGING MOTION OF THE SWINGING PLATE. 